Machine fob treating hides



June 1945- c. o. KNOWLTON ETAL Re. 22,649

MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES, SKINS AND LEATHER Original File d Aug. 24, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 1 June 5, 1945. c. D. KNOWLTON ETAL MACHINEFOR TREATING'HIDES, SKINS, AND LEATHER Original Filed Aug. 24, 1942 SShqts-She'et 2 MAE/V7055 June 5, 1945.

C.- D. KNOWLTON ET AL MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDIES', SKINS, AND LEATHER 8 Sheets-sheaf. 3

Original Filed Aug. 24, 1942 June 5, 1945. c D. KNowL'roN ETAYL 22.649

MACHINE FOR TREATING RIDES, SKINS AND LEATHER -0rigina1 Filed Au 24, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 1945- c. D. KNOWLTON ETAL Re. 22,649

MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES, SKINS, AND LEATHER Original Filed Aug. 24, 1942 a Sheets-Sheetj 4/ 0 Flgt 7.

gdvfn 5 June 5, 1945; .c. p. KNOWLTON'ETAL 22,649

MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES, SKINS, AND LEATHER 8 Sheets-Sheet 6.

' Original Filed Aug. 24, 1942 zze c. D. KNOWLTON ET AL June 5,

MACHINE FOR TREATING RIDES, SKINS AND LEATHER Original Filed Aug. 24, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 7 5, 1945- c. D. KNOWLTON ETAL Re. 22,649'

MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES, SKINS, AND LEATHER Original Filed Aug. 24, 1942' a Sheets-Sheet a Reissued June 5, 1945 MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES, SKINS,

AND LEATHER Cutler D. Knowlton, Rockport, and David Edgar,

Lynn, Mass., assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Original No. 2,359,922, dated October 10, 1944,

Serial No. 455,902, August 24, 1942. Application,for reissue February 14, 1945, Serial No.

, 24 Claims.

'This invention relates" to machines for treatin hides, skins and leather. While the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for performing staking operations upon tanned hides and skins, it is to beunderstood that in various novel and useful aspects the invention is not limited to use in machines'of the illustrated type.

Staking machines of the type now, used in tanneries of this and other countries commonly employ a blade and cooperating members for bendinga certain limited portion of the hide or skin over the blade, in an arrangement in which there is relative movement between the blade and the work piece in one direction to effect staking treatment of such limited hide or skin portion. With such a machine, the work must be shifted and reintroduced intothe grip of the blade and its cooperating members for treatment of an adjacent portion of the work piece, these operations being repeated many times to complete treatment of the whole surface of the work piece.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine for aiding the operator in spreading out work pieces to be treated and for treating both sides of a given work piece throughout the full length or width dimension thereof at one introduction into the machine, completion of the treatment of such work piece being accomplished by reversing it and introducing it a second time for the treatment of the part remaining untreated after the first machine operation. It is a further object of the invention to provide a machine to spread out work pieces to be treated and whereby an operator may initiate the treatment of a given work piece when satisfied that such work piece is adequately spread, out. Further objects of the invention are to provide a highly eflicient machine of simple construction for performing staking operations upon hides and skins, it being understood that machine embodying the same principles of construction may find other usesand applications, such, for instance, as in brushing and buffing operations.

Another feature of the invention resides in the special work feeding means provided for controlling the rate offeed of the work piece to' and from the treating tools by which a yielding holding pressure is maintained on the same small area of the work piece during such feed and which means permits treatment of both sides of the work piece b the tools. In the illustrated construction, the work feeding means comprises a conveyor belt for supporting a work piece in extended condition in an arrangement in which said conveyor belt is spaced with respect to work manner that it may be subjected to treatment upon both surfaces thereof. Such an arrangement is specially useful in staking operations where the hide or skin must be bent repeatedly and sharply about the edges of blades to secure softening and stretching thereof.

A special feature of the invention is the combination of a feeding conveyor belt, means to clamp a work piece thereo-nyand two meshing work rolls, the conveyor belt being arranged to feed the work piece to the bite of the rolls first in one direction andthen in the other direction giv ing double treatment to both sides of the work piece. a

Another feature of the invention is the combination of meshed helically bladed rolls, the

blades having surfaces for applying pressure to a' work piece passed between the rolls, a section taken transversely to one of the blades presenting a contour at the pressure applying surface which deviates from the line of a circle and is of convex form.

Still another feature of the invention is incorporated in the bladed work treating rolls which are arranged to mesh with each other, one of said rolls being covered with a yielding material and the other having blades ofv substantial rigidity but with such blades being provided with resilient or yielding means for contacting the work pieces. This provision is, for the purpose of preventing injury' to the work pieces and yet permit adequate treatment of them.

Preferably, and as shown, a work clamping device is associated with the conveyor belt to hold the work piece against displacement relatively to the belt. Conveniently, driving means is provided for the belt under the control of the operator so that the belt may be driven to spread out the work piece while one end of the latter is held by the operator. At the proper time the work clamping device is'brought into operation to clamp the work on the conveyor belt, and at the same time the driving means for the belt is disconnected and a driving mechanism for the work clamping device is put into operation, so that the belt is driven, withv the work piece clamped thereto, first in one direction and then in the reverse direction by the said driving mechanism.

Another feature of importance resides in the clamping slide;

provision of means for automatically releasing the work clamping means when the latter return to its initial position at the end of the reverse travel of the conveyor belt. A simple and efficient construction for driving the belt through the work clamping device resides in the provision of endless belts turning aboutvertical shafts and arranged to be driven by power means under the control of the operator, in an'arrangement in" which a'belt shipper is provided for shifting the" drive from suitable power means alternately to the conveyor belt and to the work clamping device.

These and other important features of the invention, and novel combinations of parts, will now be described in detail in the specification and stretched in many directions due to the. interactionof the.helically arranged blades and ribs.

As most clearly shown in'Figs. 2, 3 and 15, the work treating roll or cylinder has its shaft 21 mounted in bearings 28 carried by brackets at each end of the cylinder 20, said brackets being mounted for adjustment on frame 32 of the machine, the adjustment being accomplished by the and then pointed out more particularly in. thefg appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a staking one embodiment of the inven provision of slots in the brackets 30 in which are seated bolts 34 (Figs. 2 and 3). The lower work treating roll 22 has its shaft mounted at each scale, of theleft end of the machine shown in Fig. 1; y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a chain drive mechanism, the view being in planv and corresponding to the right sprocket wheel and associated parts adjacent to the belt shipper in Fig. 2; 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line V-V of Fig. 4;

6 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the right end of the machine shown in 1;

Fig. 7 is a detail of the work clamping device and of th cam mechanism for operating the belt shipper;

8 is a detail of the chain drive for the work Fig. 9 is a detail view of the vertical shaft and associated parts serving as a belt shipper mechanjsm;

:Fig. 10 is a sectional x x of Fig. 12; V

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view of the lower end of the ratchet shaft shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a-sectional view taken along the line XH-XII of Fig. 9; I

Fig. 13 is a. sectional view along the line XIII iflIIofFig. 9;

14 is a sectional view taken along the'line XIVXIV .of Fig. 9;

Fig. .15 is. a, view 0f' the cooperating bladed members which operate upon the work;

' Fig. 16 is a detail view-of a modification of the upper rotary work treating member showing a specially constructed yielding surface for accommodating variations in the thickness of the work piece;

Fig, 17 is a View similar to that of Fig. 16 showing still another species of a yielding surface; and i 1 substantially central point or line in the length of the rotary member or cylinder. As will be clearly seen from Fig. 15, the lower work treating or view'taken alqng I Fig. 18 is a somewhat'diag'rammatic end view end in bearings 36 carried at the upper ends of a pair of arms 38 (Figs. 1, 3 and 15), each pivoted on a'rod 3.9 the axis of whichis indicatedat 40 in Figs. 1 and 31in an arrangement in which each arm 38 is fastened to a pipe 4l 'haviiig fixedly secured to its middle portion (Fig. 15) a downwardly extending lever 42 to the lower end of which is pivoted a link 44 pivoted at its other end to an arm 46 secured to a rock shaft 48 having secured to its outer end a second arm 50 to the end .of which is pivoted a long link or connecting rod 52 1, 2 and 3) the other end of which is in turn pivoted to theljower end of a hand lever .54 '(Fig. 1) pivoted on the machine frame at the front end thereof. This hand lever .54 has pivoted thereto a"holdir'ig pawl 56 adapted to engage selectively the teeth on a segment member 58 secured to-Ithe machine frame, the pawl 56 being urged continuously in a, direction to engage theteeth by a spring 60 in an arrangement in which a manually operable mem er .62 pivotally mounted on the'lever ,54 is provided to lift the pawl .56, against the resistance of the spring .60, out of engagement with the teeth on the segment 58. In the position of the lever 54 shown in Fig. 1. the pawl .55 is in engagement with the next to the last tooth at the right on the segment member 58. with the result that the lower work treating or presser member]: is held approximately in its highest position With respect to the treating roll .01 cylinder .20. It win be clear po inspection of Fig. 1 that, if the manually operable 'lever54 be swung to the left ,in Fig.1 to engage a selected tooth substantially midway of the segment 5,8, the arms .38 will he lowered toward the left in Figs. 1 and 3 thus movingthe lower work treating or presser ,roll 22 away from the upper in order secure a finer adjustment .ofthe lower roll 22' with respect to the upper roll 21!,

there is provided an arrangement by which a pivot block .64 (Figs. 1, 2,3 and '15), having ,trunnions rotatable in the lower forked end ofthe lever arm 42, is movable in aidirection lengthwise ofthe link 44 by means of a screw member 66 rotatablysecured'to the said block and having a screw threaded part receivable in a screw threaded socket inthe link member 44; said member 66 being operable by a manually movable hand wheel 68, This fine adjustment between the lower end ofthe lever arm 42 and the lower end of the manually operable lever 54 enables the operator, through his control also of the lever 54, to make a fine adjustment of the work treating rolls 20, 22 with respect'to each other.

For driving the work treating rolls 20, '22 there is provided,in the illustrative construction (Figs. 1 and 3), a motor I mounted low in the frame of the machine tnd having secured to the armature shaft thereof a pulley I2 about which passes an endless belt I4 which also engages a larger puller I6 mounted on a shaft I0 carried by bearings in the machineframe'. Secured to the shaft I8 is a pinion 80 arranged to mesh with a gear 62 secured to a countershaft 64 to which is also secured a sprocket wheel 86 about which passes an endless sprocket chain 08 arranged to engage a sprocket 90 on the shaft 35 of the lower work treating or presser roll 22, the said sprocket chain also engaging in a reverse turn a sprocket 92 secured to the shaft 21 of the work treating roll 20. As shown, the said sprocket chain 88 also engages an idler sprocket 34 carried at the end of an arm 96 pivoted on shaft 90, said shaft being mounted on the machine frame, the said arm 96 having a "bracket I00 secured thereto to which is attached one end of a spring I02 the other end of which is engaged with a, screw threaded bolt I04 adjustably mounted in a bracket I06 secured to the machine frame. Through proper adjustment of the bolt I04 the tension of the spring I02 may be varied, thus adjusting the tension of the endless sprocket chain 00, keeping it in propercondition to drive the sprockets 90, 92 on the shafts of the work treating rolls 22, 20, respectively.

As indicated in Figs. and 18, the lower work treating roll 22 has its blades or pressure apply ing ribs 26 covered with a yielding material such as felt in rather a thick layer N1, the purpose being to provide a yielding surface thereby avoiding such pressure or pinching-of the work piece as would tend to injurethesame. It will be understood that the yielding layer'lfllals furnishes a certain accommodation for variations in the thickness dimensions of a given batch of hides or skins.

If desired, yielding surfaces may be provided on the blades 24- of the upper work treating member to cooperate with the felt layer I01 which surrounds the ribs 26 of the lower work treating member 22. As shown, such yielding surface is provided by a hard and resilient member I09iFig. 16) secured along its inner edge I II by screws firmly set in small spacer blocks H3,

sary resilient qualities when used alone to press upon the work pieceyieldingly during treatment thereof, Conveniently the member III is secured to each rib 24 with a spacer block II3 along the inner edge thereof. a

Special means is provided for feedinga tanned hide orskin into place between the work treating rolls 20, 22, the said means comprising an endless conveyor belt IIO passing over an idler r011 II2 (Figs! 1 and 3) mounted in bearings in the machine frame and also over a second idler r011 II4, there being at the front end of the machine still another idler roll I I6 (Figs. 1 and 6) for the conveyor belt which then passes upwardly to engage a driving roll IIB having a shaft II9 mounted in bearings carried by blocks I20 adjustably secured to the frame of the machine. As shown, the shaft H9 (Figs. 2 and 6) has at one end a sprocket wheel I22 fixedly secured thereto about which passes a sprocket chain I24, the said sprocket chain also passing over a sprocket l26'secured to the end of a. shaft I28 to the other end of which is secured a gear I30 in'mesh with a pinion I32 secured to a hollow shaft I34 rotatable on a shaft I36mounted in suitable bearings in the machine frame; Also secured to the hollow shaft I34 is a pulley I38 (Fig. 2) arranged to be driven by a belt I40, the latter normally engaging an idler pulley I42 on the shaft I36, that is, when the conveyorbelt is at rest in its initial position. Securedto the shaft I36 is a pulley I44 to which the belt I'may be shifted when the shaft I36 is to be driven by said belt I40, which at its other end passes around a power pulley I46 (Figs, 1 and 4) fixed to the drivenshaft84.

The belt driving means described above becomes operative when the belt l40-i'sshifted from the idler pulley I42 to the pulley I30 which is fixed as before stated to the hollow shaft I34, this shifting of the belt I40 taking place when the operator steps on a treadle I50. While the conveyor belt H0 is thus being driven, the operator standing at the front of the machine, that is, at the right in Figs, 1 and 2, throws a hide or skin on the surface of said conveyor belt, at the same time holding one end or side edge of the skin, the result being that the hide or skin is spread out quite effectively in extended condition through frictional contact with the upper surface of the traveling, belt. As soon as the skin is thus extended, the operator may depress the treadle I50 a second time to initiate driving of the conveyor belt by an entirely separate and distinct'mechanism which will move the belt, with a Work piece clamped thereto, not only v toward the work treating cylinders 20, 22 but also the arrangement being such thata layer of'felt II5 of about the same thickness as the spacer blocks II3 may be provided to back the springy member I09 so .that the latter may yield and thus avoid undue. pressure on'any given portion of the workpiece. While screws may 'be used along its outeredge to maintain the member I09 against undue displacement away from the adjacent surface of the rib 26, the said screws do not prevent inward bending of the member I09 upon the yielding felt layer II5. It will be noted in this connectionthat only th pressure applying surface of the ribs 24 are supplied with the said resilient members I09. Ifdesired, the strips of felt backing II5'in Fig. 16 may be omitted, as shown in Fig. 17, in which case a springymemher I" may be employed,-possessing the neces away therefrom, this arrangement having the advantage of providing for treatment of the workpiece while it is moving first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, such double treatment of the work piece being most effective in softening and stretching the hide or skin, in other words, in the staking thereof.

The driving mechanism for the belt mentioned in the preceding paragraph c'omprisesa work clamping device indicated in general by reference character I60 (Fig. 1) mounted on a slide membe I6I (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6) movable back and forth in guideways I62 at the top of the machine frame. This slide comprises spaced bars I64 in the space I65 (Fi 2) between which is receivable a roll I66 swivelly connected to special links I61 (Fig. 8) secured to an endless sprocket chain I66. Preferably, and in the con-' structlon shown, there are two sprocket chains I68, I10 (Fig. 2), each having secured thereto a roll I66 receivable in the Space I65 between the bars I64. It. will bereadily understood that, when th chains I68, I18 are driven, the work clamping device I68 and slide I6I will be reciprocated back and forth due to the comlection between the sprocketed chains I68, I70 and the slide member including the bars I64. For, driving the sprocket chains I68, I10 there is provided in association with each chain a sprocketv wheel I12 and I14, respectively, each secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft one of which is shown at I16 in Figs.4 and for driving the sprocket chain I68. Asshowrnthe shaft I16 has secured thereto a worm gear I18, (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) arranged to .be constantly in mesh with a worm 180 secured to a stub shaft I82 iournaled in bearings provided by the machine frame, the said shaft I82 having secured thereto at one end a sprocket I84 (Fig. 4) about which passes a sprocket chain I88 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) which also engages a sprocket I88 secured to shaft I36. It will be recalled that shaft I 36 is power driven through belt I48 when the latter has been shifted to engage pulley I44. The shaft I36 has also secured thereto a second sprocket I92 (Fig. .2) about which passes a sprocket chain I94 shown in Fig. 2 to be longer than the corresponding sprocket chain I88, the arrangement being such that said sprocket chain I94 engages a sprocket I96 (Figs. 2 and 6) on a shaft I=98 which is similar to the shaft I88 but is located on the far side of awormwheel similar in all respects to worm wheel I18 and secured to a vertical shaft 208 (Fig. 2) similar to the shaft I16, the purpose'of this arrangement being to rotate the shaft 200 in a direction the reverse of the rotation of shaft I16. In the illustrated construction, .the shaft I16 rotates in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2.) and th shaft=200 in a clockwise direction, the

. resultzbeing that the rolls IE6 carried by the sprocket chains I68 and IIIl move toward each other, in Fig. 2, along the space. between the bars I64 at the beginning of the movement by which the work clamping device IE0 is moved toward the left in Figs. 1 and 2. At their other ends, the sprocket chains I68 and I'Ill engage sprocket wheels .202, 204, respectively 2.), the latter being supported on vertical shafts carried by journal bearings supported in the frame of the machine, as indicated in Fig. 1, said bearings being adjustable as indicated at 205 to properly tension the chains I68 and I 110.. When the rolls I66 turn about the sprocket wheels 2112, 264, respectively, they again move lengthwise of the space between the bars I64 of the work clamping :device and then, and subsequently, cause the latter to retrace its path to the right in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby the work clamping device is returned to its initial position where the driving means is automatically disconnected, as will be hereinafter described. a

The work clamping device I68 includes not only the slide member I6I but also a movable clamping member 2H) (Figs. 1, 6 and 99 mounted at each of its opposite :ends on a lever :am 2.12 movable about a pivot pin .2 I4, each lever arm also carryinga cam rolli2-l6 one shaft 219 which roll is adapted to ride up and down a face cam 2I8 carried by a stationary bracket .220 secured to a post 222 of the machinejframe -.It will be clear that, as the slide-member Iii, which serves also as asupport for the work clamping device, approaches its extreme right position in Figs.

clamping relation with Land 6, each roll 2I6 rides downwardly along thecorresponding cam face 218 to lift the clamping member 2 away from the slide I61 which carries a cooperatingwork clamping member .224 (Figs. 5 and 6). 0n the other hand, when the wcrk'clamping device, including the slide member I61, starts moving toward the left in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, each roll 2I6 rides upwardly along its associated cam face 2I8 thereby permitting the work clamping member 2III to descend into work respect ,to the work clamping member 224 on the body part of the slide I 6|. I

In the illustrated construction, there is dis,- closed a refinement in the work clamping means designed to obviate sending of the surface of the work place when the latter is engaged by the clamping member 2III. To this end the member III) is provided witha yielding surface member 230 (Figs. Band 9) for direct engagement with the surface of the work piece, an additional feature'of the construction residing in the'provision of a toggle mechanism as part ofthe lever arm 2|! so that the toggle may bebroken upon swingingmovement of the arm in a laterally upward direction away from the work piece, thereby instantaneously relieving pressure on the work piece and thus avoiding scufllng of the surface of the latter. .More specifically the work clamping member 21-8 is pivotally mounted at I on another togglexmember 232 constituting part of the lever arm .2 which is pivoted at 2. Preferably and as shown, a spring 234 is interposed between adjacent 232, said spring being adjustable as to tension (as indicated) and being operative to hold an edge portion of the member ZIII against ashoulder 236 on the arm 2I2. If the member 238 should bind on the surface of the work piece, when the arm 2|! starts to swing upwardly, the spring 234 will yield breaking the toggle and shortening the distance between the face of the member 230 and thepivot2 l4, thus relieving the pressure.

. I313 for directly driving the conveyor belt I) and subsequently from the pulley pulley I44 when the operator decides to :drive the conveyor belt IIH through the work clamping means by which both a given work piece and the belt I I-Ilare clamped to the slide "SI and moved together first toward the work treating rolls or cylinders 28, 22 :and then taway therefrom to secure double treatment ofa given portion of said work piece. I I

In order that the treadle 4.50 may accomplish the desired shifting of the/belt I40, the treadle is operatively connected to a vertically arranged shipper shaft 250 (Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 9) the latter carrying fixedly secured thereto a shipper arm 252, provided withvfingers 254 (Fig.2) which ongage opposite edges of the belt I. .As shown, the upperend of the treadle lever 450 is pivotally connected to a shaft 258 by an adjustabiy extensible link 260 (Fig. 14) having one end pivoted to the treadle .and its other "end swivelly connected to the under surface of a sprocket wheel 262 (Figs. 9 and 14)., the said :opmcbet 13B directly to the v wheel beingiixed toisaidvertical shaft 259 which parts of the, toggle links 2Ill,

As heretofore indicated, the independent -driv-.

shipper shaft 250.

is first depressed by the operator to start drivis rotatable in bearings provided in the machine frame. Passing aroundthe sprocket wheel 2-62 is a sprocket chain 266 which also engages a sprocket 268 secured to a sprocket shaft 269 (Fig. 11) which shaft is vertically supported for rotation in parallelism with the shipper shaft 250 and in axial alinement with a vertical cam shaft 210, in an arrangement in which the sprocket shaft 268 is integral with a disk 212 rotatable about the axis of the shaft 210 and havin pivoted thereto a pawl 214 held yieldingly in engagement with a ratchet disk 216 fixed to shaft 210 and having two oppositely extending ratchet teeth 218 and 280 for selective engagement by said pawl 214. When the treadle I50 is depressed for the first time, that is, when the conveyor belt I I is at rest, the pawl 214 is caused to move along the surface of the ratchet disk 216, through a 90 arc, until it engages the tooth 218 and thereafter moves the said disk 216 through 90, this movement bringing the tooth 280 to a position just in front of the pawl 214 when the latter returns to its initial position shown in Fig. 14. This return movement of the pawl is accomplished by a spring 282 (Figs. 1 and 6) which pulls the treadle lever I50 back to its initial position, thereby returning the sprocket wheel 262 and the parts operatively connected thereto to the position shown in Fig. 14.- Connected to the lower end of the shaft 210 is an eccentric cam 290 (Figs. 11, 12 and 13) movable in an eccentric strap 292 serving as part of a link member 294, the outer end of which is pivoted at 296 to a lever member 298 fixed to the Hence, when the treadle I50 ing of the conveyor belt IIO, the shipper shaft is rotated in a clockwise direction in Figs. 2 and 12, thus effecting shifting of the belt I40 from the idler pulley I42 to the pulley I38 having driving connections through gears I30, I32 to the shaft I28 by which the conveyor belt I I0 is driven independently of the work clamping means As heretofore stated, this independent driving of the conveyor belt I I0 is for the purpose of spread-- ing out a work piece which has been thrown on the belt while the operator holds one end of said work piece. When or as soon as the work piece has been spread out satisfactorily, the operator steps a second time on the treadle I50 the result being that the pawl 214 engages the tooth 280- (which was left in front of the operative end of the-pawl 214 as a result of the first depression of the treadle, as stated above) and carries the toothed ratchet member 216 through 180 so that the shaft 210 is rotated clockwise, that is, in the same direction as before, to move the eccentric 280 thereon 180 from the position it was left in at the end of the first depression of the treadle, that is, with the eccentric pointing toward the pivot 286. trio in the same direction swings the shipper shaft 250 in a counterclockwise direction in Figs. 2 and 12 and through a distance twice as great as that produced by the first depression of the treadle, the result being that the shipper moves the belt I40 from the pulley I 38- across the idler pulley I42 to the pulley 1, thereby throwing in the driving mechanism for the sprocket chains I68 and I and thus initiating movement of the Work clamping device I60, including the slide member I6I. Such movement of the slide member I6I results in movement of the work clamping member 2"], 230 to cooperative position with respect to the work clamping member 224 on the slide member I60, whereby both the work piece i Hence, further rotation of the eccenand the belt I I0 are clamped to the slide member.

Hence, the belt is positively driven together with the work piece to effect movement of the latter toward the work treating roll 20, 22 and subsequently away therefrom.

When thework clamping device, together with the slide member I60 return to the position shOWn in-Fig. 6, the work clamping device is automatically released through the cooperation of cam roll 2I6 and cam face 2I8, as before stated. In addition, the drive for the sprocket chains I68 and I10, and therefore of'the slide I6I and belt IIO,

is also automatically terminated, this being accomplished by'a cam member 300 (Figs. 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 12) fixed to the slide member I6I and operative to engage a roller 302 on a lever arm 304 pivoted at 306 on the machine frame and havingan adjustably extensible link connection 308 with a rotary pawl carrying member 3I0 (Fig. 12) rotatable on the shaft 210. When the roll 302 was cammed out, against the yielding resistance of a spring 3 (Figs. 9 and 12), to the position shown in Fig. 12, the member 3I0, together'with its pawl 3I2 is caused to rotate the shaft 210 through 90 by engagement of said pawl 3I2 with a tooth 3I4 on a toothed ratchet member 3I6 similar to the ratchet member 216 at the lower end of the same shaft. This movement of the shaft 210 brings it back to its position shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14, such movement of the shaft 210 resulting in rotary movement of the shipper shaft 250 in a clockwise direction to brin the shipper lever 252" to the neutral position shown in Fig.2, it being understood that this movement of the shipper 252, at the end of the return movement of the work clamping device I60 and its carrying slide I6l to their initial positions of rest, is accompanied by shifting of the belt I40 from the pulley I44 to the idler pulley I42. Hence the belt I I0 is left at rest in its initial position.

In operating the illustrated machine, the worker will introduce each work piece'by throwing it upon the upper surface of the conveyor belt H0 while the work clamping device is in the inoperative position shown in Figs. 1 and 6, it being noted in this connection that the conveyor belt IIO extends to the right in Fig. 1 beyond the adjacent end of the work clamping device I60 and its supporting slide member I6I The worker may then step on the treadle I thereby causing operation of the belt driving means with the result that the upper run of the belt moves toward the work treating rolls 20, 22. During this time, the

operator-retains control of the work piece, usually holding one end thereof so that such work piece is'spread out in fully extended condition due to the friction of the traveling belt. As soon as he is satisfied with the extended condition 'of the work piece, the treadle I50 is again depressed, thereby disconnecting the belt driving means and initiating operation of the driving mechanism for reciprocation of the slide IBI through the endless sprocket chains I68, I 10. As soon as the slide I6I starts moving in the direction of-the rolls 20, 22, the work clamping device including the pad member 230 is lowered upon the work piece to clamp the latter to the belt H0 and to clamp both belt and work piece to the work clamping surface 224 on the slide member I6I. As before stated, such clamping of the belt to the slide I6I has the effect of driving the belt I I0 through the slide I6 I. Hence the belt is moved first toward the work treating rolls 20, 22 and then away therefrom during reciprocation of the slide. During the first part of this and 3, and finally returns to its initial position in which the work clamping member is released and the belt brought to rest. The operator then withdraws the work piece, reverses it end to end, and introduces it a second time into the machine to complete the treatment thereof. Itwill be seen that all portions of a work piece are thoroughly staked, by being twice operated upon,

without subjecting the work piece to such pres sure as would be likely to result in injury.

Having described our invention, what weclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1

1. In a machine for operating upon hides,

skins, and leather, a rotary work treating memher, a movable member cooperating with the rotary member to eflect treatment of both .sides of a work piece, means upon which such work piece may be spread, such means being spaced from the treatment zone between said work treating members during treatment of the work piece and arranged for feeding the work piece to the said members and for feeding it in the reverse direction during continued operation of the rotary member, whereby said work piece receives treatment during movement of the work piece in both directions, and means for clamping the work piece relative to the work feeding means.

2. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a pair of cooperating rotary work treating members between which a work piece may be introduced for treatment, and means spaced at all times from the treatmentzone between said rotary members for holding and also moving such work piece into the bite of said rotary treating members and then in the opposite direction with respect to said members during continued operation of the latter, whereby the work piece receives double treatment, said spaced means including a surface for supporting the work piece in extended condition.

3. In a. machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a pair of cooperating rotary work treating members between which a work piece is introduced for treatment, an endless conveyor belt for supporting a work piece in extended condition, said conveyor belt being spaced with respect to said members and having its operative work supporting run ending closely adjacent said members, a work clamping device for holding the work piece against displacement with respect to said conveyor belt, and means for driving said conveyor belt and work clampingdevice toward the rotary members to feed the work piece into the bite of said members for treatment thereby and then in the reverse direction to feed the work piece away from said rotary members during continued operation of the latterupon said work piece, whereby the latter receives double treatment by saidmembers.

4. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a pair of upper and lower rotary work treating members between which a work piece may be introduced for treatment, and motor driven means for spreading and retaining such work piece including'a work clamping de respect to said members during continued operation of the latter whereby thework piece receives double treatment on both sides.

5. In a machine for operating upon hideaskins, and leather, 2. pair of meshing upper and lower rotary work treating members between which a work piece is introduced for treatment by both rotary members, a conveyor belt for supporting a work piece in extended condition, a work clamping device for holding the work pnce against displacement with respect to said conveyor belt, and means "for driving said conveyor belt and work clamping device toward said rotary members to feed the work piece by itself into the bite of said meshing members tor treatment thereby and then in the reverse direction to iced the work piece away from said rotary members during continued operation of the latter whereby said work piece receives double treatment said members. Q 62A machine constructed in accordance'with claim .5, characterized by the fact that means is provided for automatically rendering said work clamping device inoperative upon its return to its initial position.

7. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a pair of upper and lower rotary work treating members between which :a work piece is introduced ,for treatment, a conveyor belt operative to support. a work piece in extended condition, means for driving said conveyor belt to cause the upper run thereof to move toward said rotary members thus effecting spreading out of a work piece while the rear end thereof is held by the operator, a work clamping device operative to clamp the work piece against said conveyor belt, mechanism for driving said clamping device whereby said [conveyor belt and the work piece clamped thereon are moved toward said rotary members, and means under manual control for initiating operation of the 'helt driving means and subsequently to initiate operation of the driving means for said work clamping dc viceland the simultaneous disconnection of the driving means for the said belt. 8. 'A machine constructed in accordance with claim 7 in which means is provided under control of a treadle for shifting from the driving means for the belt to the driving mechanism for the work clamping device. 9. Amachine constructed according to claim 7 in which said work clamping device, together with-the clamped work piece and belt, are driven by endless chains turning about sprocket wheels at the upper ends of driven vertical shafts.

1-0. In a staking machine for tanned hides and skins, a work treating roll having helically arranged blades extending in opposite directions vice, said means being arranged to move such work piece into the bite of said rotary treating members and then in the opposite direction with from a substantially median point in the length of the roll, said blades being substantially rigid but having resilient working faces, a cooperating roll having helically arranged blades covered with yieldable material to engage the opposite surface of the work piece and "to press it into engagement with the'blades or the work treating roll, and meansfor feeding the work piece into the bite of said rolls and then in the reverse direction during continued rotation of said rolls in work treating operations upon said work piece,

whereby the work piece receives'trcatment while moving in reverse directions. I

11. 'In a staking machine for tanned hides and skins, a work treating roll having helically arranged blades extending in opposite directions from a substantially median point in the length or the roll, said blades being substantially rigid but having hard and resilient working faces, a cooperating presser roll also having helically arranged blades to engage the opposite surface of the work piece and to press it into engagement with the blades of the work treating roll, and a covering for the work contacting surfaces of the helical blades of the presser roll, said covering including yielding material to provide for variations int the thickness dimensions of various portions of the work piece undergoing treatment and to avoid undue pressure at any given portion of a work piece at the moment between blades of the cooperating rolls.

12. A machine according to claim 11 in which the covering for the work contacting surfaces of the helical blades of the presser roll includes a layer of yielding felt material.

13. In a staking machine for tanned hides and skins, a work treating roll having helicall arranged blades extending in opposite directions from a substantially median point in the length of the roll, said blades being substantially rigid and having working faces including yielding spring means,. a presser roll having helically arranged blades arranged to press a work piece into engagement with the spring'means of the work treating roll, and a covering for the helical blades of the presser roll, said covering being of yielding material.

14.- In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a rotary work treating tool, means cooperating with the rotary tool to effect treatment of the work piece, a conveyor belt for supporting a work piece in extended condition, a work clamping device operative to hold the work piece against displacement with respect to the conveyor belt, a treadle, means under the control of the treadle for driving the conveyor belt, such movement of the belt serving to extend the work piece fully in the direction of movement of the belt while said work piece is held at one end substantially stationary in space, means for operating the work clamping device to cause the latter to clamp the work piece to the belt and to move the latter toward the rotary tool, said driving means for the belt and said operating means for the work clamping device comprising a driving belt and pulleys spaced from each other, an idler pulley between said driving pulleys, a

shipper device to shift said drivingbelt from the idler pulley to one of the other pulleys to initiate driving of the conveyor belt, treadle controlled means to operate the shipper device to move said driving belt from the driving pulley for the conveyor belt across the idler pulley to the driving pulley for the work clamping device, successive depressions of the treadle having the efiect of moving said shipper device in opposite directions, and cam means movable with the work clamping device to move said shipper deviceto neutral position thereby to shift said driving belt to the idler pulley upon return of the work clamping device to initial position.

15. A machine constructed according to claim 14 in which a ratchet member is provided in operative relation to said shipper device, and means operated by the treadle to move said ratchet member thereby to move the shipper member thus initiating driving of the conveyor belt, means to return the ratchet member and the treadle to their initial positions, subsequent operation of the treadle and of said ratchet member in the same direction serving to move the shipper device in the reverse directions from one driving pulley to the other thus initiating driving of the work clamping device to feed the work piecein said reverse directions.

16. A machine constructedaccording to claim 14 in which a second ratchet member is provided in operative relation to said shipper, and means operated b the treadle to move the first-mentioned ratchet member thereby to move the shipper member thus initiating driving of the conveyor belt and subsequently driving. of the work clamping device following a second operation of the. treadle, means operated by said cam on the work clamping device to operate said second ratchet member thereby to move the shipper to neutral position'and at the same time condition the first-mentioned ratchet member so that subsequent operation of the treadle will initiate driving of the conveyor belt.

17. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a rotary work treating tool, means cooperating with the rotary tool to efiect treatment of the work piece, a conveyor belt for supporting a work piece in extended condition, a work clamping device operative to hold the work piece against displacement with respect to the conveyor belt, means for driving the conveyor belt, such movement of the belt serving to extend the work piece fully in the direction of movement of the belt while one end of the work piece is held substantially stationary in space, means for operating the work clamping device to cause the latter to'clamp the work piece to the belt and to move the latter in directions toward and from the rotary tool, said driving means for ,the belt and for the work clamping device comprising a power shaft, a treadle under control of the operator having connections to initiate driving of the conveyor-belt from said power shaft and subsequentl driving of the work clamping device from said power shaft, and cam means movable with the work clamping device and arranged through said connections to render the power shaft inoperative for the purposes mentioned upon return of the work clamping device to initial position.

member, means for driving the conveyor belt,

such movement of the belt serving-to extend the work piece fully in the direction of movement of the belt while one end of said work piece is held substantially stationary in space, means for operating the work clamping device to cause the latter to clamp the work piece to the belt and to move the latter in directions toward and from the rotary too], said driving means for the belt and said operating means for'the work clamping device comprising pulleys spaced from each other, an idler pulley between such driving pulleys, a source of power comprising a driving belt engageable with said idler pulley when the machine is not working, a shipper device to shift said driving belt, said controller member having operative movement in one direction only and having connections to operate the shipper device to move said driving belt from the idler pulley to the driving pulley for the conveyor belt and subsequently across the idler pulley to the other driving pulley to operate the work clamping device, ind cam means movable with the work clamping device to'shift said driving belt to the idler pulley upon return or the work clamping device'to initial position;

Y 19. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a rotary work treating tool, mean cooperating with the rotary tool to efiect treatment of the'work piece, a memberlfor supporting a'work piece, a work clamping device, means for moving said work supporting member,

mechanism for operating the work clampingv device to cause the latter to clamp the work piece to the work supporting member and to move the latter toward and from therotary tool, said moving means for the work supporting member and said operating mechanism for the work clamping' device comprising pulleys spaced from each other, an idler pulley between said driving pulleys, a driving belt for said pulleys, a shipper device 'to shift the driving belt from the idler pulley to one of the other pulleys to initiate movement of the work supporting member, and treadle controlled means to operate the shipper device to move said driving belt from the driving pulley for the work supporting member across the idler pulley to the driving pulley for the work clamping device, said treadle controlled means including an eccentric rotatable always in the same direction to cause movements of said shipper device in opposite directions during successive depressions of the treadle by the operator.

as hides, skins; or leather, a main machi'ne frame, a pair of meshed rotary work treating rolls mounted on said'frame, said rolls being provided I means to release the clampingmeans during the return movement of the work piece.

22. In a staking machine for tannedshides and skins,'a work treating roll having a set of helically arranged blades extending in opposite directions form a'substantially median point'in the length of the roll, and a cooperating presser roll having a set of helically arranged 'bladesfiin mesh with 20; In a machine for operating upon hides,"

skins, and leather, a rotary work treating memher, a support for a work piece, means for moving said support, a mechanism for moving said work support toward and from said rotary member, a driving mechanism including an idler pulley, a driving pulley on each side of the idler pulley and a driving beltshiftable from one pulleyto another in the set of three'pulleys, a. shipper device for said belt including an eccentric rotatable always in the same direction to cause movement 'of the shipper device to shift the driving belt in opposite directions, connections between the work support moving means and one of the driving pulleys and also between the work support moving mechanism' and'the other driving pulley, and a treadle havingconnections to said shipper device and operable upon successive depressions thereof to efiect shifting of said driving belt in opposite directions to cause in succession driving by said pulleys of the work support moving means and the work support moving mechanism.

21. In a machine for treating materials such the bades'of the work treating roll, a section taken transversely to a blade of the first set of blades presenting a contour at the pressure applying-sin face which deviates from the lineof a circle and is ofconvex form;

- 23. In astaking'machine for-tanned hides and skins, a'work'treating roll having a set of helically arranged blades extending in opposite directions from a substantially median point in the length of the roll, andacooperating presser rollhavinga set of helically arranged blades in mesh'with the blades of the Work treating roll', a section taken transversely to a blade on eitherroll presenting a contour at the pressure applying surface which deviates from the line of a circle and is of convex form;

' 24. In a staking machine for tanned hides and skins, a work treating roll having a set of helically arranged continuous blades extending in opposite directions from a substantially median; point in the length of the roll, a cooperating presserroll having a set of helically arranged blades in mesh with the blades of the work treating roll and provided 'with a surface of yielding material, a section taken transversely to a blade of either roll presenting a contour at the pressure applying surface which deviates from the line of a'circle and is of convex form for. engagement with'awork piece introduced between the rolls, means arranged for driving the rolls in oppositetdirections, and means for feeding the work piece between the rolls.

CUTLER D. 'KNOWLTON.

.DAVID EDGAR. 

